Category: Writing How Tos

I always tell my writing students to not overthink their plot, their characters, and to simply get what’s in their head down on paper. It sounds easy but some of them tell me they’ll still struggling with that blank page. I know I’ve been in their position at one point. New exercise book open…

Say hello to guest blogger Tarina Deaton who tells us how to make the most of our time… “Where do you find the time?” I am asked this question a lot. Let me back up and explain why I am asked that question. I am active duty military, so “I work full-time” is an…

Here’s Mary Winter, today’s guest blogger… When life happens the muse often decides to go on vacation. It can be tough for writers to get back into the swing of things, especially when the pressures of life seem to get in the way. Dealing with financial stresses, job stressors, and family worries can zap you of…

Madeline McEwen is back with us again to offer words of encouragement during NaNoWriMo and share her wonderful cartoons… If you are reading this at 23:59 you are almost half way through the Nano experience. Whether you’re a first timer or a seasoned aficionado, either way, at this point you may be beginning to feel…

It’s the second week in a row that I’ve had a guest blogger no show. I like to have something posted on the site for you every week day so it’s meant I’ve had to fill in on a moment’s notice. For some writers that sets off a panic attack. Years ago that would…

It’s time for another Hi Susan post. This question was e-mailed to me by Jenny- I keep getting rejection after rejection and I’m getting to the point where I want to give up. Will I ever write a story that’s good enough to be published? Been there, had that happen, and also had thoughts of giving up.…

Beth Barany is back with us and this time gives us some tips about brainstorming… You’ve started your novel with NaNoWriMo. Hurrah and congrats! But maybe on some days you lose your focus and don’t know what to write next. If you haven’t planned your novel ahead of time, then you may need some…

Promptober’s history and I hope you enjoyed it. Today I thought I’d kick off NaNoWriMo 2018 with a pep talk for everyone, (myself included). It’s sort of ironic because as I’m putting this together, writing is the last thing I actually want to do. It’s Wednesday evening, it’s been a busy week, finishing…

Say hello to today’s guest blogger, Ann Everett who offers us advice on something that can often be an Achilles’ heel even for published writers… Overwriting: This is a mistake all new writers make. They over explain either through description or action. Heck, in first drafts, I still do it. Here are some examples: Gus pulled his gun belt tight…

Madeline McEwan is back with another humorous post about what it means to be a writer (and her sketches)… Terminology Pro and Con – This idiom is taken from the Latin: pro for “for” and con for “against.” Pro and Ant – [do not muddle with Pro and Con] Protagonist [hero] – the main character in a…